HELP needed increasing ebm supply - expressing exclusively and supply diminishing!

[kittykoo]

anyone got any advice on how to increase my bm supply? Am bf but exclusively expressing as never managed to get DS latched on but desperate to continue... DS now nearing 4months. Can only get 26oz a day and barely keeping up with hungry baby. Have expressed every 2 hrs while DP has been home for last 4 days but now he is going back to work am in trouble!

Have you tried latching recently. A bigger baby can sometimes learn new skills they couldn't get earlier?

What pump are you using? Is it a good one? Are you getting adequate food and rest (I know the latter is a stupid question sorry)!

Have you tried latching recently. A bigger baby can sometimes learn new skills they couldn't get earlier?

What pump are you using? Is it a good one? Are you getting adequate food and rest (I know the latter is a stupid question sorry)!

Do you double pump? If not that can increase supply.

Also agree about trying latching on again - do you still try?

Domperidone (motilium) 10mg 3 times a day for 10 days can boost supply too. You can buy it over the counter or get a prescription.

there is a book called 'Exclusively Pumping' by Stephanie Casemore. It is available on www.expressyourselfmums.co.uk It is worth owning in your case. It covers emotional and physiological aspects of excl. pumping.

do a search through google and MN for 'power pumping' I can't remember the details right now. and I am a bit busy.

I would also contact the 4 bf organisations for assistance on helping you with latch as it may still be possible to get your baby to latch on if the right face to face support is there.

justaboutmurdering that actually isn't true. plenty of people are full time expressers.
I personally expressed for months for ds and I know there are people on Mumsnet who have expressed from the get-go and had enough to donate as well. so, it is possible.

kittykoo- if you're using an electric pump remember to start off slowly and then build up. I always found that if I started it off on too high a setting I just couldn't get the milk out.
Do try ds at the breast though, because as BS says, sometimes they just manage it, even though it's been a long tiem

information on exclusive expressing

Do you express at night? If not you might find it useful to set your alarm to express once during the night to boost production. It can be done. Good luck.

Have a look at this www.pumpingmoms.org/index.html I found it useful when I was exclusively expressing - I never managed to get my DD to latch on either. Some mums do manage to feed their babies succesfully this way for many many months so never fear - a drop in milk supply is not inevitable if you don't latch baby on.

I tried a change of pump, and that seemed to help - had been using a double electric pump but found that the good old Avent handheld actually got more milk out (but this was only when my milk supply was well established, could not have done without the electric pump to begin with)

Fenugreek can help. So can eating oats (so porridge, oat cakes etc). Also keep on expressing even when milk supply has dwindled and you may find you get a second let down.

I think drinking too much water can actually inhibit milk supply, drink to thirst is the advice I remember.

Would you consider mixed feeding at all? If your baby is getting bigger and hungrier maybe an organic formula milk for some feeds with expressed bm for the rest? I know this may not be your preferred solution but it worked for me.

Good luck - sounds like you are doing a fantastic job. Respect!

just logged on and am truly amazed at all the responses! Can you tell I'm a first timer, I put DS instead of DD. Will have a good look through when she has a nap...bit wary of taking stuff but emotionally not getting enough milk off is very hard going - can cope fine with all the other practical hassle.

i did a quick read last night:

power pumping: pump every 2 hrs round the clock for 2 days will boost your supply as it is mimicing a natural growth spurt. Enlist friends/family to help look after your dd in this scenario.

cluster pumping: pump for 5 - 10 mins every 45 mins for a few hrs every few days. (you only need to wash your pump every 4 - 6 hrs)

you may already figured this out but also, when your flow is slowing down, feel your breast for the pea-like structures which are actually milk sinuses. If you hold your breast in a C between your thumb and fore fingers where you can feel the milk, it helps to drain it better when the milk flow is slowing down. the more milk you remove, the more you make.

hadn't heard of the brewers yeast but kellymom site recommends it too. would rather try that than fenugreek as it has fewer side effects. Tried power pumping for 4 days solid and saw only a very slight increase in production but now just got period for second time since breastfeeding (very odd ) and this is supposed to be linked to lowered supply apparently...

will try the cluster pumping later today when DP home. zzzzz......(can't believe there's no tired smiley on here)

wow its tough to get hold of, just rang about 5 shops and tesco's don't do it anymore (at least mine doesn't). Finally found a chemist with one bottle left, they have put it aside for me!

Apparently it's normal for the milk supply to change at this time (from full/ empty pattern to production on demand) - I was expressing an 8oz bottle off one side in 20 mins every morning, then literally dropped to 2oz overnight - I was devastated. Supply returned to normal after about a week though - I know you are expressing full time - do you have freezer stock you can use? Supply also dropped dramatically when DD was 7 mo - again, almost nothing. I persevered for a week, then stopped expressing. A couple of weeks afterwards my period returned - must be a result of starting solids and DD taking less. Might start pumping again - friend reckons supply increases in between periods.

Just a thought about not latching on... DD had tongue-tie, which was missed by GP and many midwives and health visitors because they are not trained to look for it. DD had formula for the first 24 hours (v. painful emotionally) then I spent 7 weeks in agony when she finally did feed. When it was discovered finally (midwife at baby cafe) it was so obvious when you know what to look for. Tongue forms heart shape when baby cries because the tip is pinned to the bottom of the mouth. Baby can't raise tongue (most obvious when crying) and of course can't stick it out to latch on properly. Minor operation fixed it at 7 weeks - literally snipped with scissors. It took 2 seconds and DD didn't even cry - she was busy protesting at being held down and didn't make any sound as it was snippped - not traumatic at all for her. Have a look - you never know, it might be the cause of the problem.

and kittykoo, I don't think that having a period necessarily means your supply has dropped. I bf exclusively and never missed a single period
Good luck - it sounds like you're doing really well so far.
Does your area have bf clinics? Here we have clinics at the hospital, surestart or community places and a mum cafe thingy - it could be worth trying to see if you can get some help with latching on. I had loads of support as dd was in scbu, I had to express at first, and she was really dozy from medication - it was a nightmare getting started, but having a bf counsellor coming to see me really helped.

if I'm 100% honest with myself I don't want to go back to the screaming and that was how it was when I tried recently. I know she can sense I'm stressed, and the experience isn't a nice one for either of us. SHe could latch on - I should have been clearer - everyone else (MW / HV / Mum2Mum bf support) could get her on, so the only time she fed in the early days was when they came (which someone did every day). If I get her anywhere near the feeding position now she goes instantly nuts.

incidentally also having a new problem - reflux seems to have developed at 3 1/2 months which seems odd. She just sprayed the nursery for the 2nd night after an hour of screaming like the early days, only kettle eventually shut her up . can't help thinking this wouldn't be happening if i could have properly bf.

incidentally also having a new problem - reflux seems to have developed at 3 1/2 months which seems odd. She just sprayed the nursery for the 2nd night after an hour of screaming like the early days, only kettle eventually shut her up . can't help thinking this wouldn't be happening if i could have properly bf.

Kittykoo - firstly congratulations on getting to 4 mths. What an achievement! I exclusively expressed for dd1 for a year after she wouldn't latch so know what you're going through & how you feel.
Do you have a double pump? I used Ameda Lactaline - it's quiet, efficient & has fantastic customer service. Someone is selling one on this topic.
I read Exclusively Expressing by Stephanie Casemore which kiskidee suggested. Definitely worth a read as it offers some tips.
Kellymom is a fantastic website too.
I found I had to increase the number of times I expressed in the run-up to introducing solids at 6mths. Are you pumping at night at the moment?
Wish you lots of luck - and bfeeding can work second time round. I'm exclusively bfeeding dd2 11 mths on...